JPH08320003A - Fluid flow control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To generate energy loss in fluid of high pressure with no reaction of shock wave without raising speed in a fluid flow control device. SOLUTION: Pairs of annular disc members 32 having fluid flow passages together form radial flow passages for fluid between the interior of a stack 14 of the disc members and its radially outer circumference. This passages have a smaller cross-section at a midregion of the disc member 32 than at the radially inner or outer side of the disc member 32.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a fluid flow rate control device.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Fluid flow control devices can be used to control the flow of liquids or gases, or can be used, for example, to provide velocity control of high pressure fluids. This general type of device, sometimes known as a variable fluid throttle control valve, has a frictional flow path and is described in US Pat. No. 3,45.
1,404 and 3,514,074, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,451, with multiple angular turn channels.
No. 404 and No. 3,514,074.

In handling high pressure fluid streams, it has been customary to utilize the orifice method with a high speed short throat to achieve energy loss or high pressure drop. If the fluid is liable to vaporize in the liquid state downstream of the open orifice or valve,
If it vaporizes or changes to a gaseous state, it is implosively compressed, causing harmful shock waves and corrosion. Also, when the fluid velocity in the valve exceeds the fluid velocity in the line, many disturbing recoils occur. The most serious problems are the rapid corrosion of the valve surface and the suspension of external particles in it due to the direct impingement of the liquid. Further corrosion causes cavitation. Cavitation is defined as the high-speed implosion of steam against the internal parts of the flow control valve (valve trim) and the valve body.

In addition to the serious problems that result from corrosion, the increased speed also causes the flow characteristics of the valve to be unexpectedly unstable.

Other problems caused by high fluid velocities in the valve include severe noise generation, trim fatigue, and possible degradation of fluid materials such as polymers.

The noise carried by the fluid downstream of the control valve is often large. If not piped or blocked, this noise can result in sound pressure levels of 110 to 170 dB 3 feet from the valve outlet. Sound sources of this magnitude are harmful to personnel and are often complained by residents of the land.

Mufflers and silencers are generally capable of attenuating fluid propagation noise by only 20 dB to 30 dB. Therefore, they have been only partially successful in achieving the desired sound pressure level.

In addition, typical channel filling systems, such as mufflers and retarding support structures, are very cumbersome and expensive, and often the cost of noise path filling exceeds the cost of the valve. Often.

[0009]

In order to solve or ameliorate the above problems, conventionally, the flow is subdivided into a large number of small and long flow paths having turn portions which cause friction and pressure drop in the fluid. This has led to the introduction of a device that does not increase the speed and recoils the shockwaves, resulting in energy loss in a high pressure fluid, thus avoiding damage and corrosion of the device. Such a device is described, for example, in US Pat.
Published in Issue 7. It includes a ring of separate members having contact surfaces surrounding a number of individual channel grooves angled between the inlets and outlets of the stack to turn the fluid to provide a channel length that is significantly longer than the length between the inlets and outlets of the stack. Flow paths are provided in the stack. The stack is mounted within the fluid flow path of the valve housing and the valve plug movable within the annular structure controls the number of flow paths within the stack through which fluid can pass.

An improved device of this type is GB-A-22.
73579, in which at least one channel in the stack of disc members has a void between the inlet and outlet regions of the disc member, which void widens the cross-sectional area of the energy loss channel. It has been shown that

Valves incorporating flow control devices that include a stack of disc members having energy loss channels have been very successful commercially and it is an object of the present invention to provide an improvement of this type of device. is there.

[0012]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flow control device according to the present invention, wherein a plurality of pairs of annular discs forming a rigid structure incorporating rows of substantially radially spread channels through which a fluid flows. In a fluid flow rate control device comprising members, each of the pair of disc members has a flow passage therein which is partially expanded in a radial direction through the disc members, and provides a fluid flow through the pair of disc members. Therefore, the pair of disk members are arranged so that the flow path of one disk member is connected to the flow path of the other disk member of the pair.

The flow control device of the present invention further comprises a large number of disc members forming a rigid structure in which rows of flow paths through which the fluid flows are incorporated, and the disc members have an engaging surface and a flow of the fluid flowing therebetween. Means for providing an inlet portion having a passage is formed in the disc member to define a predetermined inlet region for directing fluid to the row of channels formed by the rigid structure, A means for providing is associated with the means for providing the inlet to provide an array of openings for draining fluid from the flow passage, the at least one flow passage having a smaller cross-sectional area in a respective central region of the disc member. Have
The cross-sectional area increases from the central region toward the inlet and the outlet of the disc member.

The present invention also provides a pair of disc members incorporated into a structure, as defined in the next paragraph,
Each of the disc members has a row of holes that radiate through its thickness, the row of holes being different in the two disc members, so that the disc members are overlapped such that they overlap, and the overlapped holes are overlapped. A radial flow path through the pair of disc members, the flow passage having a smaller cross-sectional area in the central region of the disc member, and the cross-sectional area increases from the central region toward the center and the outer periphery of the disc member. To provide that.

That is, the fluid flow rate control device of the present invention is
It is characterized in that the disk member is annular, and the flow passage has a cross-sectional area that increases from the annular central region toward the inner circumference and the outer circumference.

Also, in the fluid flow control device of the present invention, a pair of disc members that are superposed such that each disc member has at least two different rows of radially extending holes are made the same, and one disc member is So that the first row of holes overlaps with the second row of holes in the other disc member, and the second row of holes in one of the disc members overlaps with the first row of holes in the other disc member. In addition, the disk members are rotating with respect to each other.

Each adjacent pair of disc members in the stack of disc members provides a channel having a smaller cross-sectional area in the central region, and if desired, the present invention applies to the disc member only portion within a structure. You may say.

The disc member is preferably ring-shaped because the stack formed from the rigid structure or the disc member has a central passage, and the reciprocating valve plug has a number of passages through which fluid can pass. It is designed to move to increase or decrease. The inlet to the flow passage may be on the inner circumference of a disk member having an outlet on the outer circumference, or, alternatively, the outlet may be on the inner circumference and the inlet may be on the outer circumference.

As a second mode, in the fluid flow rate control device of the present invention, a row of flow paths through which a fluid flows is incorporated in a large number of disc members forming a rigid structure, and the disc members are provided with an engaging surface and between them. Each disk member has a flow path through which at least one first flow path is formed through the entire thickness of the disk member, and an end located in a central region of the disk member from an outer peripheral end of the disk member. Towards at least one second
Is formed through the entire thickness of the disc member and spreads from the inner peripheral end of the disc member toward the end in the central region of the disc member, and the first flow passage of each of the disc members is the other. Positioning a pair of adjacent disk members so that the second flow path of each disk member is connected to the first flow path of the other disk member. It is characterized by being.

The present invention also provides a disc member suitable for incorporation into a structure, the disc member being formed through the entire thickness of the disc member, as set forth in the immediately following paragraph, the outer peripheral edge of the disc member. From at least one first flow path extending from the disk member to the end in the central region of the disk member, and from the inner peripheral edge of the disk member formed through the entire thickness of the disk member to the end in the central region of the disk member. And at least one second spread
And a flow path of.

By proper positioning of each pair of disc members within the stack, each pair of disc members may be separated from the flow path provided by the other pair of disc members within the stack. Providing multiple channels.

The flow path thus defined may have a sharp turn that causes resistance or pressure drop in the fluid. The channel may have a smaller cross-sectional area in the central region of the disc member, as defined in the first aspect of the invention. Alternatively or additionally, the channel may have an increased cross-sectional area to provide an expanded volume from the inlet to the outlet to provide the desired energy reduction to the fluid flow through the channel. . As another specific form, as disclosed in GB-A-2273579, the flow passage may define a space between the inlet portion and the outlet portion to increase the cross-sectional area of the flow passage.

[0023]

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a bidirectional flow path through the device. Therefore, it is especially used in regulating the fluid flow path at the input and output of storage systems, such as underground gas storage systems. A valve incorporating a flow control device according to the first aspect of the invention therefore has two conventionally used valves, one for fluid injection and one for fluid discharge, for example for the entry and exit of underground storage of natural gas. It is also possible to advantageously replace the two valves used in the.

According to the invention in a second aspect, the disc member defined thereby has particular advantages for easier machining of the channels. As such, the disc member may be wire EDM machined or water injection machined through the thickness of the disc member, and the disc member of carbide or ceramic material can be machined without the need for special tools.

[0025]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a valve utilizing the flow control device of the present invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a fluid discharge valve assembly 10 for discharging a predetermined amount of vapor, for example, from an inlet 16 to the atmosphere 12. The fluid flows through the stack assembly 14 by the moveable valve plug 20 into a chamber 18 through which a predetermined amount of fluid is expelled. Valve plug 20
Includes a first position that completely blocks all fluid entering the stack assembly 14 by completely blocking all of the inlet portions 22 of the stack assembly 14, and the valve assembly 1
By moving to the upper part toward the space part 24 formed by the upper frame part of 0, it is possible to move to and from the second position where all the entrance parts 22 are opened. The plug 20 is moved in a known manner by a connecting rod 28 connected to an actuator (not shown) which responds to system control signals.
In order to minimize the force that the actuator exerts to move the plug 20 between the two positions, a pair of longitudinal flows extending across the plug 20 for fluid transfer between the chamber and the space 24. By giving way 30,
Fluid pressure is balanced across the plug 20.

The disc member stack assembly 14 has an array of individual disc members 32 which are aligned with the plug 20 and between a bottom base plate 36 which encloses the stack assembly 14. Are clamped together by a stretch bar 34 to safely direct fluid exiting the stack assembly outlet 42 into the atmosphere. As will be described below, variously shaped disc members 32 allow the inlet 22 to the outlet 42.
The disk member stack assembly provides a maze for the fluid as it propagates to.

FIG. 2a is a partial plan view of one form of a disk member according to the first form of the present invention for use in the flow control device of FIG. 1, for example.

In FIG. 2a, the annular disc member 32A is
It has two repeating rows of radially extending through it, usually rectangular holes. The row 33 includes slots 33A on the outer peripheral portion 34, an intermediate hole 33B having a lateral dimension smaller than the slot 33A, and a slot 33 on the inner peripheral portion 35 of the disc member.
It consists of C. The slot 33C has substantially the same size as the slot 33A. The second row of holes is located at 45 ° radially with respect to the first row. The second row consists of two holes 36A and 36B, again generally rectangular. The lateral dimensions of the holes 36A and 36B are intermediate between the slots 33A and 33C on the one hand and the holes 33B on the other hand. They are also positioned to be radially centered so as to lie between and in the radial direction of the two holes of the first row. The two rows (only one shown) are staggered around the disc member at 45 ° intervals.

FIG. 2b shows two disc members according to FIG. 2a, one rotated by 45 ° with respect to the other, with holes 36A in the upper disc member forming the bottom disc member to form channels 37A and 37B. The slots 33A and the holes 33B partially overlap with each other, and the holes 36B of the upper disk member form the flow paths 37C and 3C.
The two disc members are overlapped so that they partially overlap the holes 33B and slots 33C of the bottom disc member to form 7D.

Similar overlap occurs at 45 ° intervals with alternating rows of channels formed by holes 36A and 36B in the lower disk member.

The flow path 37A located on the outer peripheral side of the disk member has a larger cross-sectional area than the flow paths 37B and 37C located in the middle part of the disk member, and the flow path located on the inner peripheral side of the disk member. It will be appreciated that channel 37D has a larger cross-sectional area than channels 37B and 37C.

FIGS. 2c and 2d show the overlapping of two disc members 32A as shown in FIG. 2b, with separate disc members 38 and 39 for confining and limiting the top and bottom of the channel, respectively. . As shown by the arrow, does the fluid flow from the inner circumference to the outer circumference?
c) or flowing from the outer circumference to the inner circumference (Fig. 2
d).

FIG. 3a is a plan view of a disk member according to the second aspect of the present invention.

In FIG. 3a, disc member 32B has four equally spaced channels 62, each cut through the entire thickness of the disc member, from the outer edge 64 of the disc member to the center of the disc member. It widens toward the edge at region 66. The disc member also has four equally spaced channels 68, each of which is also cut through the entire thickness of the disc member and extends from the inner peripheral edge 70 of the disc member toward the central region 66 of the disc member. Is spreading. Each of the flow channels 62 is located between an adjacent pair of flow channels 68 and vice versa.
Each of the flow channels 68 is located between an adjacent pair of flow channels 62.

In FIG. 3b, a similar disc member 32B 'is shown rotated 45 ° with respect to the disc member 32B. Disc member 32B 'has a similar arrangement of channels 62' and 68 'as disc member 32B has, with similar parts being designated by the same prime numbers.

The pair of disc members 32B and 32B 'are rotated 45 ° to each other and are engaged face to face, as shown in FIG. 3c. The ends of the disk member 32B in the respective central regions of the flow paths 62 overlap the ends of the other disk member 32B 'in the respective central regions of the flow paths 68', and similarly the flow paths 62 'and 68 overlap. , Thereby the outer peripheral ends 64, 64 'and the inner peripheral ends 70, 7 of the pair of disc members.
Eight channels are formed between 0 'and 0'.

As shown, the channels 62, 68 'and 62', 68 are each a number of right-angled turns 6 for imparting friction and energy loss to the fluid flowing through the channels.
Have 9.

In FIG. 3d, a stack of two pairs of disc members is shown in plan view, with each pair of disc members being superposed on one another in the manner shown in FIG. 3c. It is arranged rotated by 22.5 ° with respect to the other. By this method, the upper pair of channels 72, 72 'are defined between the lower pair of channels 62, 62'. Each flow path from the outer circumference to the inner circumference of the disk member is separated from the adjacent flow path on the pair of disk members of the disk member by the area between the disk members, and one pair of disk members is provided. It will be appreciated that each flow path of each of the two is separated from the flow path of each of the other pair of adjacent disk members by the engagement surfaces of the adjacent disk members.

FIG. 4a is a plan view of another disk member according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 4a, the disc member 32C has eight equally spaced channels 82, each cut through the entire thickness of the disc member, from the outer edge 84 of the disc member to the central region of the disc member. It widens toward the edge at 86. The disk member also has eight equally spaced channels 88.
Each of which is also cut through the entire thickness of the disc member and extends from the inner peripheral edge 90 of the disc member toward the central region 86 of the disc member. Each of the channels 82 is located between an adjacent pair of channels 88, and vice versa.
Are located between adjacent pairs of channels 82.

In FIG. 4b, a similar disc member 32C 'is shown rotated 22.5 ° with respect to the disc member 32C. Disc member 32C 'has a similar arrangement of channels 82' and 88 'as disc member 32C has, with similar parts being designated by the same prime number.

The pair of disc members 32C and 32C 'rotate face to face by 22.5 ° with respect to each other and this is shown in FIG. 4c. Flow path 82 of disk member 32C
Of the other disk member 32 is
The flow passages 88 'of C'overlap with the ends in their respective central regions, and the flow passages 82' and 88 also overlap, thereby causing the outer peripheral ends 84, 84 'and the inner peripheral end 9 of the pair of disk members to overlap.
Sixteen channels are formed between 0 and 90 '.

As shown, each of the walkways 82, 88 'and 82', 88 has a number of right angle turns 69 for the reasons set forth above.

FIG. 4d shows a plan view of the annular separating disk member 100. One disc member 100 may be disposed between each pair of superposed disc members 32C and 32C 'in a stack of such pairs to maintain a flow path between each pair of disc members.

It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the number of channels can be more or less as desired. The flow path may include voids as described above.

The assembly of the valve of FIG. 1 allows the fluid to propagate in opposite directions, ie with 42 as the fluid inlet, and 22 and 16
May be changed so as to be the outlet.

This device can also be used in the assembly of valves to control the entry and exit of fluid storage systems.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a valve using a flow control device of the present invention.

2a is a partial plan view of one form of a disk member according to the first form of the invention, for example used in the flow control device of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 2b is a partial plan view of a pair of disc members in which one of the molds shown in FIG. 2a is overlaid on the other.

Figure 2c Figure 2b showing the flow in one direction with the addition of a separator plate.
Sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG.

2d is a partial cross-sectional view along line AA of FIG. 2b showing the reverse flow of FIG. 2c with the addition of a separator plate.

FIG. 3a is a plan view of a disk member according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3b is a plan view of the other disc member rotated 45 ° similar to that shown in FIG. 3a.

FIG. 3c is a perspective plan view of the two disc members of FIGS. 3a and 3b, superimposed on each other.

FIG. 3d is a top perspective view of four disc members of the type shown in FIG.

FIG. 4a is a plan view of another disc member according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4b is a plan view of the other disc member rotated by 22.5 ° similar to that shown in FIG. 3a.

FIG. 4c is a top perspective view of the two disc members of FIGS. 4a and 4b superimposed on each other.

FIG. 4d is a plan view of a separator plate joining the two stacked disc members of FIG. 4c.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Fluid Discharge Valve Assembly 14 Stack Assembly 16 Inlet 20 Mobile Valve Plug 22 Stack Inlet 32A, 32B, 32B ', 32C, 32C' Annular Disc Member 33A, 33C Slot 33B, 36A, 36B Hole 36 Bottom Base 37A , 37B, 37C, 37D Flow path 38, 39 Separation plate 42 Stack outlet 62, 62 ', 68, 68', 72, 72 ', 82, 8
2 ', 88, 88' flow path 71 stack 100 annular separation plate

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A fluid flow control device comprising a number of pairs of annular disc members forming a rigid structure incorporating rows of substantially radially spread channels through which fluid flows, each of said pair of disc members. There is a channel in the disk member that spreads only partially in the radial direction through the disk member, and the channel of one disk member is the other disk member of the pair in order to form a fluid flow through the disk member of the pair. 2. The fluid flow rate control device, wherein the pair of disk members are arranged so as to be connected to the flow path. 2. A plurality of disc members form a rigid structure in which rows of channels through which fluid flows are incorporated, said disc members having engagement surfaces and channels through which fluid flows, and an inlet portion. Means for providing an outlet is formed in the disc member to define a predetermined inlet region for guiding fluid to the row of channels formed by the rigid structure, and means for providing an outlet is provided from the channel. Cooperating with means for providing said inlet to provide a row of openings for draining fluid, at least one flow path having a smaller cross-sectional area in each central region of said disc member, The fluid flow rate control device according to claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area increases toward the inlet portion and the outlet portion of the disk member. 3. The fluid flow rate control device according to claim 2, wherein the disc member has an annular shape, and the flow passage has a cross-sectional area increasing from an annular central region toward an inner circumference and an outer circumference. 4. A pair of disc members superposed so that each disc member has at least two different rows of radially extending holes, one disc member having the first row of holes being the other. The disk members rotate relative to each other such that they overlap with the second row of holes in the disk member and the second row of holes in one disk member overlap with the first row of holes in the other disk member. The fluid flow rate control device according to claim 3, wherein 5. The rigid annular stack adapted to house a forward compound valve plug that is movable to increase or decrease the number of passages through which the disc member can be annular. The fluid flow rate control device according to claim 2. 6. A plurality of disc members forming a rigid structure are incorporated with rows of flow passages through which a fluid flows, the disc members having engaging surfaces and flow passages between which fluid flows, each disc member. Is at least one first flow path is formed through the entire thickness of the disk member and spreads from the outer peripheral end of the disk member toward the end in the central region of the disk member,
At least one second flow path is formed through the entire thickness of the disc member and extends from the inner peripheral end of the disc member toward the end in the central region of the disc member, and the first flow path of each of the first disc member Is connected to the second flow path of the other disk member, and the second flow path of each of the one disk member is adjacent to be connected to the first flow path of the other disk member. The fluid flow control device according to claim 1, wherein a pair of disk members are positioned. 7. The disc member, wherein the disc member is formed through the entire thickness of the disc member and extends from an outer peripheral end of the disc member to an end in a central region of the disc member, and the disc member. 7. The fluid flow rate control device according to claim 6, further comprising at least one second flow channel formed through the entire thickness of the disc member and extending from an inner peripheral end of the disc member to an end located in a central region of the disc member. Disk member suitable for incorporation into equipment. 8. There are a number of disc members formed in pairs,
7. The fluid flow control device of claim 6, wherein each pair of disc members provides one or more channels separated from the channels provided by the other pair of disc members in the stack.